Apple targets Russia with Moscow office

Apple seems set to explore Russia's growing economy as company plans Moscow office to boost marketshare in the territory.

Apple is recruiting for new offices it plans to open in Moscow, Russia.

Local reports indicate the company is searching for PR and client management staff for the new location, which is expected to open in the fourth quarter.

Analysts predict the company will use launch its Russian operations with a push on the iPhone when it ships in the territory.

Apple has run an indirect relationship with Russia, working through its distributor IMC. IMC remains in command of product distribution in the territory.

Apple holds just 1 per cent of the Russian laptop market, according to Kommersant. The company's iPod is also a minority player, with just 12-15 per cent of the Russian MP3 player market.

These minority market figures reflect the company's historic blindness to the Russian market: “Apple stubbornly refuses to see Russia or to take it seriously,” Evroset analyst Evgeny Chichvarkin told Kommersant.